Depression has different effects on each individual. While some people experience overwhelming feelings of sadness, other people may feel short-tempered, irritable and angry. To find out if you are depressed, take the following depression quiz.* Answer “yes” or “no” to the statements to see if you are experiencing any of these depression symptoms:

1. Do you feel sad and unhappy?
2. Do you often cry?
3. Do you frequently feel fatigued or have excessive tiredness?
4. Do you regularly experience mood swings?
5. Do you have difficulty making important decisions?
6. Do you have difficulty falling or staying asleep?
7. Do you sleep all the time?
8. Have you lost interest in aspects of life that used to be important to you?
9. Do you feel panicky or anxious?
10. Do you feel hopeless about the future?
11. When things go wrong in your life, do you feel like you can never get over it?
12. Do you often feel agitated or angry?
13. Do you have difficulty concentrating?
14. Do you feel worthless?
15. Do you have overwhelming feelings of guilt?
16. Do you overanalyze your relationships with others?
17. Do you experience frequent constipation, muscle aches or headaches?
18. Have you experienced recent changes in weight or appetite?
19. Do you crave certain foods such as breads or sweets?
20. Have you had thoughts of suicide or death? (If you answered “yes” to this question, tell a friend, pastor, counselor or physician right away.)

Truth be told, if you think you are depressed, you probably are. The good news is that there are natural remedies for depression. To start feeling better, try first these simple techniques:

• Ask a friend to support you. Since depression often involves unclear and disoriented thinking on the part of its victim, an outside perspective is a critical necessity to the healing process. Who can that person be in your life? A spouse, a long-time friend, a close work associate, a dependable relative… all are possibilities.
• Begin taking omega-3 fatty acids. Most people with depression don’t get nearly enough of the brain healthy omega-3 fats and therefore need to supplement with fish oil. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated how effectively omega-3 improves mood. Most integrative physicians recommend that every person should get a maintenance dose of 1000 mg (1 gram) of EPA and DHA (added together) on a daily basis.[1]
• Go walking in the sunshine. The sun is the main source of Vitamin D3, a type of vitamin D that increases levels of chemicals in the brain called dopamine and serotonin. Deficient levels of either of these neurochemicals can be an underlying cause of depression. You can start by walking 20 or 30 minutes at a time, beginning today. This is enough time to get an adequate exposure to sunlight for boosting your vitamin D3 levels.[2]
• Find out the underlying cause. You’ve taken the first step to fighting your depression – you now recognize that it is something you’re struggling with. Now that you know, you can begin taking the necessary steps to improve your health and vitality. Overcoming depression involves discovering underlying causes and then providing your body with the raw materials it needs to heal itself. To find out the underlying cause of your depression, download our FREE report, How to Treat Depression Without Medication: 5 Natural Depression Therapies that Treat Serotonin Deficiency Symptoms and Other Common Causes of Depression. Discover the true source of your depression and learn effective strategies to treat it. Get a copy of our FREE special report today!

*Please note, this depression quiz is just an indicator of your depression symptoms and does not substitute for a medical diagnosis.

[1] Ross B, Sieswerda L. et al. Omega-3 fatty acids as treatments for mental illness: which disorder and which fatty acid? Lipids in Health and Disease (2007) 6: 21.

[2] Wilkins, C. et al, Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated With Low Mood and Worse Cognitive Performance in Older Adults. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, December 2006; 14(12): 1032-1040.